Teenage Wasteland: The College Years
by xoxEllexox
Summary: Sequal to 'Teenage Wasteland'. Almost three years after leaving everything behind her, Kate Todd moves across the country to go to College with Tony DiNozzo. Her past comes back into her life, and Spring Break in Miami proves to be memorable one.
1. Entrance Wound

**_Hey everyone._**

**_Well, here's the sequal to 'Teenage Wasteland', if you haven't read it, this won't make a whole lot of sense, so I suggest reading that first._**

**_Enjoy, review, you know the drill._**

**_xoxElle_**

* * *

Entrance Wound

* * *

Changing Colleges was something 19 year old Kate Todd thought she'd never have to do.

Thanks to the severe lack of students and budget cuts that her previous college in Indiana had received, they decided to close down. In the two years since she had left Miami and Washington she had being living with one of her older Drake, who was engaged and married a few months later.

When Kate had called her best friend, Tony DiNozzo, to tell him about her college closing, he insisted that she come back down to the outskirts of Washington and attending the very high ranking college that he attended.

She agreed. And that's how she ended up standing in one of the many courtyards, waiting for Tony to find her.

Someone was suddenly grabbing her shoulders, making her elbow fly back and elbow whoever it was in the stomach.

"Jeez Katie!" Tony said, doubling over.

"DiNozzo! What did you think you were doing?" She said crossing her arms, but a smile on her face.

"Well, I was going to say hello, but it seems Indiana has a strange way of saying it back" He said before putting his arms around her and kissing the top of her head. "How you been?"

Kate hugged him back. "It was good, I'm glad to be here though" She said stepping back. "You said that you were going to show me to my room, did you get the key? Or did you leave it in some girl's room?" She asked with a smile.

Tony put a hand on his chest dramatically. "You wound me Katie" He said picking up one of her suitcases, but making a whimpering noise at the weight of it. "Did you put Drake in here or something?"

Kate rolled her eyes. "Just show me to my room"

A five minute walk, and an enthusiastic story from Tony about the last movie he had seen later, they had reached the girl's floor of the college residence building.

"This is your room" Tony said slipping the key into the door. "I live downstairs, right under you" He said with a dirty smirk, earning a glare and a scoffing noise from Kate.

"Just open the door, DiNozzo" She said.

Tony grinned and opened the door. "You'll be happy with your roommate"

Kate's eyebrows knitted together as she stepped into the room. The first thing she noticed that it was a large room, painted a calming light brown with a bed on either side of the room with desks next to each. There was a mini fridge tucked away next to the large white couch that was in the centre of the room, facing a large flat screen TV.

What shocked her more than anything, was the fact Ziva David was standing in front of her.

"Kate, it is good to see you again" Ziva said with a smile, stepping forward and hugging her briefly. "When Tony told me you were coming, he insisted that you live here with me" He said, smirking over at Tony, who was putting Kate's bag next to what would be her bed for the next three years.

"Tony didn't tell me you were back in America" Kate said, smiling at her old friend.

"I returned here for college, and Tony insisted I come here" She said. Kate rolled her eyes.

"Hey, you like it here!" Tony said in defence, walking over and flopping down on the couch.

"As much as I would enjoy talking about old times" Ziva said, walking over to her desk and picking up her black book bag. "I have a class. It is good to see you again Kate" She said with a smile before disappearing through the door.

Kate walked over and sat on the couch, hitting Tony's legs so he would move. He lifted his legs up and let Kate sit before putting his legs back down across her lap. She rolled her eyes.

"I thought that you never wanted to see Ziva again" Kate said nonchalantly.

Tony put his hands behind his head so he could look at Kate properly. "I didn't" He said. "But a few months after I got back from Israel, she called and told me why she went back. Then she came here"

"So you two are back together?" She asked. Tony let out a long sigh and ran a hand over his face.

"No"

"But you want to be" Kate said with a small smile. Tony let out a humourless laugh.

"Doesn't matter. She's moved on and I'm happy with being just friends" He said as if he had said it a hundred times. Kate gave him a look.

"Tony DiNozzo, being 'just friends' with a girl" She said. "I don't believe it"

"I'm friends with you" He pointed out, pushing himself up so he was sitting slightly.

She rolled her eyes. "That's different"

"Ziva and I still have our movie nights every Tuesday, and we date other people" He said. "It's like dating one girl, and sleeping with others" He said with a grin.

Kate gave him a disgusted scoff and punched him in the arm, pushing his legs off her and standing up. "You're a pig Tony" She said.

Tony jumped up. "You love it" He said. "I gotta go to class, I was supposed to go with Ziva" He said with his grin spread across his face. "I'll come back afterwards, walk around the school, whoo some guys"

After Tony left, Kate looked around the room, taking a deep breath and trying to take everything in, a hand coming up to absentmindedly fiddle with the locket around her neck.

There was a dresser against the wall at the front of her bed on her side of the room, and in five minutes she was almost completely unpacked, all except the small box that had been buried in the bottom of her suitcase.

She sat down on her new bed, which she realized was incredibly comfortable, and put the wooden box in front of her. She had to take a breath before she could will herself to open it. She flipped the lid and pulled out a small stack of photos and some photo frames. The three framed photos she had were the only ones that she had saved three years ago when she went to Miami, there was the one of Kate, her three brothers and her sister at their old house in Indiana. The second was of she and Tony when they were 7 and their class had had a Christmas concert, so the two of them were covered in tinsel, and the third was Tony piggy backing her when they were 13 outside his house.

She smiled and put the frames on the bedside table before looking down at the photos in her hands. She smiled slightly at the tiny face smiling up at her. The pictures were of her two year old son, who when he was born, was given up for adoption to a couple in Miami called Annabelle and Patrick Bennett, who were happy to agree to an open adoption, so once a month Kate got a letter saying how their son was and a photo. His name was Joel, and in every photo he was clutching the small black teddy bear that his biological father had given him. Kate tried not to think about..._him_ anymore, she found it too painful after all they had been through, so she thought about the son that she hadn't seen since the day he was born, finding that subject easier to deal with.

No-one in Washington knew about Joel, they had gone to Miami when she found out, staying at Kate's sister and brother-in-laws house for the eight months. Kate's father abused her, so she was in fear of hers and the baby's life if he ever find out, so, they left when she was a month pregnant.

She put the photos back in the box and placed it in the top draw of her bedside table underneath other things so if anyone saw it, they wouldn't think anything of it.

Once she had stored her empty suitcase under her bed, she grabbed her bag, which had the sketch book and art supplies she took everywhere with her, and left the room.

An hour later, Kate had looked at barely a quarter of the college and decided to find somewhere to sit and relax for a while. She walked between two of the buildings and found a courtyard that was scattered with trees and picnic tables where students could study outside. She was looking around for a place to sketch when her heart stopped.

Sitting across the courtyard, was Ari Haswari.

Kate stood as still as a statue, so many things running through her head. She thought that she would never have to see him again, hoping that she could put that part of her life behind her.

Ari chose that moment to glance up, locking eyes with her and looking just as shocked as she was. He closed the book he was reading and began to stand.

Kate ran.


	2. Complications

_**Hey everyone!**_

**_I know I've sucked a bit lately with my updates. Life and writer's block got in the way, plus the fact I abandoned the original plot I had for this story and made a better one. _**

**_So, here I am, actually updating._**

**_REVIEW! Makes me write faster, they're like mini-muses._**

**_xoxElle_**

* * *

Complications

* * *

Kate took a few deep breaths once she finally reached her dorm room, leaning against the inside of the door and closing her eyes. She had told herself that she was never going to see Ari again, locking all the feelings that were associated him in a box in the back of her head.

She walked over to her bed and sat down, putting her face in her hands and took a deep breath.

The dorm room door swung open, making her head snap up, only to find Ziva putting her book bag onto her bed.

"Our class was let out early. Tony was very pleased about it" Ziva said as she turned to Kate. "What is wrong?" She asked when she saw Kate looked as though she was about to faint.

Kate shook her head. "Tony didn't tell me"

Ziva walked over and stood in front of her. "He did not tell you what?"

Kate rubbed her head. "Your brother"

Ziva nodded slowly. "I see why you are upset. I just assumed he told you"

Kate stood up and made her way to the door. "I have to go talk to Tony"

"That would not be a wise idea" Ziva called after her, but her warning fell on deaf ears as Kate disappeared down the hall.

* * *

Kate found Tony's room very quickly through the crowded hallways, knocking once before opening the door herself and walking in. The room has the same layout as hers and Ziva's, although different furniture and one side of the room was covered in movie posters.

Tony was lying on his bed, and quickly sat up when he saw Kate.

"What're you doing here Katie?" He asked. She stood in front of him and crossed her arms.

"You didn't tell me Ari was here" She said, trying to stay calm. Tony swallowed. He knew he was in _big _trouble.

"Oh really? I thought I told you" He said standing up and going over to his desk and sitting down in the chair.

"DiNozzo!" Kate said angrily. "You should have told me"

Tony spun around on the chair. "Why is it such a big deal Katie? You dated in high school, then you two went missing for eight months, and then you broke up"

Kate took a breath and looked down at her feet. "It was complicated Tony, a lot of things happened that I don't have to explain to you. I-"

Kate was interrupted as the dorm room door opened, reviling Ari walking in with his book in his hand. He and Kate stared at each other for a long moment before Kate quickly walked past him and out the door.

Ari put his book down on his bed and sat next to it, putting his elbows on his knees and rubbing his face. "I did not know she was here"

Tony looked over at his roommate. "I figured I shouldn't tell you. Or her. She's pissed at me now"

Ari chuckled. "Yes, I would assume so. I think that she didn't want to see me again"

Tony just stayed silent and went towards the door, feeling the anger he always felt when he remember the eight months were his best friend had run off with his dorm mate and now friend. He decided to go up to Kate and apologise, or at least see if she wanted to go have lunch at the on-campus cafe.

* * *

Kate was not in a good mood later that night as she stood in her dorm room, Ziva walking to go open the closet.

"You cannot blame Tony" Ziva said as she pulled out a dark pair of jeans and a white polo t-shirt before handing them to Kate to try on. "He finds any excuse to throw a party"

Kate let out a deep breath and took the clothing, getting a satisfied smile from Ziva before she turned around to find some clothes to wear. Tony had informed her, of course at the last minute, that he was throwing a party on his floor his floor to welcome her. Kate had managed to avoid seeing Ari most of the day, and was dreading the fact that she would have to avoid him at a party she didn't want to go to.

During the day Tony had introduced Kate to Abby and McGee, 19 and 20 year old students that lived together off campus. Kate had been shocked when she had been attacked by a hugging Goth, but it seemed as though it was just normal behaviour from the humorous reactions from the others around her.

Kate reluctantly changed into the clothes Ziva had given her and walked over to the mirror and checked she looked at least presentable, even though she was on the verge of having a complete mental snap and running off to kill Tony. She finished her hair, leaving it out and wavy so it reached almost halfway down her back before fixing her necklace.

Ziva walked out of the small bathroom at the side of the room and looked at Kate. "Are you ready?" She asked.

Kate put on a fake smile and nodded. "Let's go"

* * *

An hour into the party and Kate was far from ready to go downstairs and to bed. People were all around her in the halls and some of the rooms that had left their doors open, so she was able to avoid some of the full-on party. Tony had already left her when he had spotted a girl that he found interesting, so she had just been wandering around talking to people.

Kate had just thrown her cup away ready to go back to her dorm when she spotted Ari across the room. She couldn't stop the pang of hurt that went through her when she saw he was with another girl, with his hand down the back pocket of her jeans.

Suddenly Ari turned his head and caught her eye. She quickly turned around and began to make her way through the crowd of drunk college students towards the staircase that would take her to her dorm.

She was almost at her door when she heard footsteps coming closer behind her, and she knew it would be him. She stop outside her door and turned around and came face to face with Ari, standing in front of her with his arms crossed on his chest.

"You have been avoiding me" Ari stated as Kate fiddled with her keys, the music from the party drifting downstairs.

"You didn't really expect me to be completely fine seeing you again, did you?" She asked, looking up to meet his eyes. "You seemed pretty happy with that girl up there"

Ari's eyes glanced towards the staircase as though he could actually see the girl upstairs. "Hmm" He muttered. "In any case, I am glad you are here"

Kate shook her head. "Don't do this Ari"

Ari completely ignored her comment and lifted his hand to hold the pendant of her necklace, opening it to look at the small photo and engraving inside of their son before closing it and letting his arms drop to his sides.

"You still wear it" He said. Kate touched the locket and nodded.

"I haven't taken it off since you put it on" She said quietly, finally looking back at him.

"Caitlin" Ari murmured, bring his hand up to tuck a piece of fallen hair behind her ear and brushing her cheek. Kate quickly turned around, shoved her keys in the lock and disappeared into her room, leaving Ari standing alone in the empty hallway.

* * *

When Kate closed the door behind her she let out a deep breath and tried to wrap her mind around what had just happened. She sighed and walked over to look for her cell phone, finding in the middle of her bed where she had thrown it earlier in the day.

She noticed she had a missed call from half an hour prior, she assumed that it was April or one of her brothers checking to see if she had gotten to the college alright so she put the phone to her ear to listen to the message.

'_Kate, it's Patrick. I'm sorry to call you, but I thought you should know that we've just taken Joel to hospital. We don't know what's wrong with him yet, he woke up tonight and wouldn't stop screaming. I'll call you when we find something out' _


	3. Hard Time

_**Oh hey!**_

**_Yes, I'm finally updating something. _**

**_Enjoy. Review._**

**_xoxElle_**

* * *

Hard Time

* * *

Kate held the phone to her ear long after the message ended, trying to wrap her head around what she had heard. She had to tell Ari, he needed to know.

She threw her phone onto her bed and quickly made her way to the door, hoping to catch Ari before he went upstairs. But when she opened the door she found Ziva mid-make out with a guy.

Ziva had heard the door open and turned around. "Kate, I did not know you were back"

"Have you seen Ari?" Kate asked.

Ziva gave her a concerned look. "I have not seen him tonight"

Kate nodded and turned around, going back into the dorm and sitting on her bed. Ziva watched her with a frown, turning around to face the confused male standing behind her.

"I will see you tomorrow" She said as he leaned down to kiss her.

"Okay" He murmured, kissing her once more before walking away.

Ziva closed the door behind her as she went into the dorm, walking over to sit next to Kate, who was sitting on the bed with her hands resting limply in her lap. It look as though she was at war with herself.

"Are you alright?" Ziva asked. Kate turned her head to look at her.

"If I tell you something, you have to promise to never tell Tony" She said. When Ziva nodded Kate twisted around and opened the top draw of her side table, pulling out a wooden box before turning back and settling it in her lap.

Kate opened the box and pulled out the photo that was resting on top of the small pile. She looked at it for a moment before handing it to Ziva, who took it with an extremely confused look on her face.

"This is my...son" She said quietly.

Ziva looked down at the photo in her hand. It showed a boy, no older than two, laying on his side on a couch, a small black teddy clutched under one of his small arms. The smile on his face and the look of his eyes seemed so familiar to her.

The realization hit her like falling stones. Or was it bricks?

"Kate...he looks like Ari" Ziva said as she looked up at Kate. The look on her face was a mix between confusion and...well, Ziva didn't really know what she was feeling at that moment.

Kate took the photo back and held it in her hands, looking at it again for a moment before deciding that there was no going back.

"His name's Joel" She said. "He was born in Miami, two and a half years ago"

Ziva nodded slowly. "This is why you and Ari left, isn't it? You were pregnant"

Kate nodded and let out a breath. "I'll tell you everything later, I need to find Ari" She said, putting the photo back in the box and standing up, carefully putting the box back in her draw. Ziva watched her with a look of confusing before getting up to follow her.

"I will help you find him" Ziva said quietly as she caught up with Kate.

They made their way back upstairs to the party, and even though it was nearing the early hours of the morning, it didn't seem like it was going to die down anytime soon. It was easier than Kate thought spotting Ari, he was once again with that girl he had been with earlier. Except this time they were kissing against one of the walls.

Ziva, who was still standing with Kate, followed the other girl's line of vision. When she saw who her older brother with, she sighed.

"That is Tessa" Ziva said. "She and Ari are...I do not know. But, she...hangs off him like a tramp, yes?"

Kate couldn't help but smile at Ziva's comment. She took a breath and walked through the crowd with her back straight and no emotion on her face, Ziva following behind her.

She hesitated slightly when she got to them. Trying to push the fact that the situation she was putting herself in right there was extremely awkward out of her head, she gently tapped on Ari's back before crossing her arms over her chest. Ari managed to disconnect himself from the girl and turned around, his eyebrows furrowing together in confusion when he noticed the brunette standing before him.

"I need to talk to you" She said, managing to avoid eye contact with him and the girl hanging off him.

"Oh sweetie, he's with me. You've got no chance" The girl 'Tessa' said with a glare. She was tall, blonde, really the opposite of herself, Kate thought. Kate glanced over at Ziva, who had a look on her face that showed that this girl was not the brightest crayon in the box.

Ari glared slightly at Tessa before he put a hand on the small of Kate's back and walked with her through the crowd of students towards the staircase.

Tessa's eyes widened and she sprang to go after them, only to be stopped by a hand on her shoulder. She snapped around and saw Ziva standing behind her.

"Who the hell is that slut?" Tessa snapped. Ziva rolled her eyes at her and shook her head.

"If you must know who she is, then Ari will tell you next time you see him. Until then, you do not need to follow them"

* * *

"Caitlin?" Ari asked once she let him into her dorm. Kate walked over to her bed and checked her cell phone, seeing there were no missed calls displayed on the screen. She frowned and her chest filled with an odd sort of worry. She moved to sit on the couch, Ari following her a moment later.

Kate held her cell in her hand and looked at the twenty year old sitting next to her. "I got a call from Patrick. Joel's in hospital"

Ari put his arm across the back of the couch and moved to look at her better. "What is wrong with him?"

"I don't know. They're going to call me when they know something" She said, her voice finally cracking under the strain of emotions.

Ari stood up and held a hand out, which she took hesitantly and let him help her up.

"You have had a long day, you should sleep" He said, pulling her hand and leading her to the bed.

She shook her head. "Ari, I can't. I have to wai-"

He put a hand on her cheek and smirked. "I will wake you if they call. I will stay on the couch, which tends to be my bed quite often"

"Why?" Kate asked as she sat on her bed.

"I happen to live with Tony. Which means sleeping in my own bed is somewhat of a rarity" He said. "I do not wish to hear him have sex"

Kate let out a laugh and looked down at her bed before handing her cell to Ari. "Thank you"

* * *

Ziva groaned when she realized that she couldn't go back to her room, as Ari and Kate needed to talk about whatever had shaken up Kate so much. Earlier in the night she had seen Tony disappear into his dorm with a random girl, so she couldn't stay there for the night.

As she was thinking, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist and a kiss was pressed to the side of her head.

"I thought you were going to bed" A voice whispered in her ear.

Ziva turned around and put her hands on the chest of her 21-year old boyfriend.

"Something came up, and now I have no room to sleep in" She said, cocking her head to the side. "Do you think you can help me fix this problem?"

He smiled. "I think I might be able to help. Although," He said "I may have to kick the other girls out of my room"

Ziva let out a laugh and shook her head. "Damon..."

Damon Werth kissed her cheek and took her hand. "Come on"

* * *

Kate woke up only a few hours after she had fallen asleep. It took her a few minutes to fully register where she was, before she finally looked over at her alarm clock with blurry eyes. '5:23am' She read after her eyes had adjusted. Kate pushed herself out of the bed and stood up, shivering slightly when her feet hit the cold wooden floor. She realized she was still wearing the clothes she had on the night before, so she walked over to her dresser and pulled out a pair of grey track pants and a white tank top. As she pulled out the clothes she noticed the folded black shirt that was far too big for her lying at the back of the draw, a shirt she had 'borrowed' from Ari when they stayed in Miami almost three years ago.

Kate turned her head and looked over at the couch where Ari was sleeping, one hand behind his head and his other hand holding her cell phone to his chest with a small blanket covering his legs.

Kate went into the bathroom to change, and by the time she came out Ari was sitting up on the couch and folding up the blanket he had used.

"Did I wake you up?" Kate asked apologetically, putting her dirty clothes into a laundry basket she had put next to the door.

"No" Ari said as he stood, shooting a glance at the clock that hung on the wall. "In fact, I have slept in; I am usually awake at five"

Kate rolled her eyes, and in return got a smirk from him.

"Patrick hasn't called?" Kate asked when she sat down next to Ari, making sure she left a large space between them so they wouldn't have a repeat of what happened the night beforehand. He shook his head and handed her cell phone back to her.

Kate looked down at the phone in her hands and nodded, bringing her legs up so they were tucked underneath her and faced the twenty year old sitting on the couch next to her.

"Thank you for staying" She said quietly, putting her cell phone on the couch between them.

Ari shrugged. "It is fine" He said. "They have not called yet"

Kate sighed and nodded, not really knowing what to do next. She never thought she would be in the situation she was in with Ari, ever. She had always hoped that she would never have to deal with seeing Ari again, and yet, there she was sitting on a couch with him, waiting to see if their son was alright.

Ari reached across and brushed a piece of hair that had fallen out of the pony-tail Kate had put her hair in before he woke out of her face, leaving his hand on her cheek as he cocked his head to the side.

"He will be fine, Caitlin"

Kate had to look away from him. _Those damn eyes, _she thought. She was about to move away from him to stop herself from doing anything stupid when the door behind them suddenly opened.

Ari's hand dropped from her cheek when the door opened, Ziva walking in wearing the same clothes she had on at the party and a blank expression on her face.

When she closed the door she turned and looked at Ari, standing with her body stiff and her arms crossed, waiting for him to talk.

Kate couldn't help but laugh inside; it was times like these she realized how much Ziva and Ari were alike.

Ari got up and walked to Ziva, standing in front of her with his arms crossed, mirroring her stance. "You know" He stated.

Ziva gave a short nod. "Yes"

Ari nodded slowly, shifting his body and dropping his arms to his sides. "Do you understand now?"

Ziva gave another nod.

"Good" He said, he went to walk out of the room before looking at Kate. "Call me when you know" He said before shutting the door behind him.

* * *

**_Hopfully the next chapter will be up sooner. Reviews make me write. _**

**_You know the drill._**

**_xoxElle _**


	4. Under Suspicion

**_I know, I suck. I should have updated so long ago. But you know how life goes._**

**_This is such a filler chapter. Sorry about that. _**

**_Well, review._**

**_xoxElle_**

* * *

Under Suspicion

* * *

The next morning Kate laid in bed with her eyes closed, listening to the shuffling sounds of Ziva getting ready for her 8am class. Kate didn't have a class until 10, giving her an excuse as to why she wasn't getting up. Not that she would need to explain anything to Ziva, as the Israeli had been giving her the cold shoulder since she had arrived back in the room earlier that morning.

Once Kate heard Ziva pick up her back-pack off her desk and disappear out the door with a soft _click_ of the lock, she pushed the covers off her and reached for her cell phone, which sat on her desk atop her laptop and checked for any missed text messages or calls. All that looked back at her was the wallpaper of her phone, a picture of she and Tony the year prior when he had come to Indiana for the summer, and a clock that read '07:53'.

She frowned as she got changed before she made her way out of her dorm, making a bee-line through the small crowds of hung-over students who were running late for class and rushing through the halls, and made her way to the staircase to the boy's floor. She didn't knock when she got to Tony and Ari's room, as she knew Ari was in class with Ziva that morning as they had the same class two days prior when she arrived. So, she had no chance of having an awkward run-in with him.

She found Tony face-down in his bed and snoring loudly. She rolled her eyes at the site of him lying with a sheet covering half his body and nothing else. She sat on the bed, pushing herself so her back was against the wall beside the mattress. Tony had obviously felt the shift of the bed indicating someone was there and moved so his head was in Kate's lap, the loud snores now gone.

"Mornin' Katie" He murmured, keeping his eyes closed.

Kate put her left hand on Tony's shoulder, over the Celtic cross tattoo he got when they were all 17, the one he had gotten along with Ziva; who had a tattoo that showed the silhouette of a running cheetah on the inside of her thigh. "Good morning" She said with a grin, making sure her voice was just loud enough to bring the most amount of pain to his hung-over-brain.

It worked, judging by the loud groan that suddenly erupted against her knee. Tony grudgingly sat up against the wall next to her, bringing the sheet with him to lay across their legs. He ran a hand through his messy hair and looked around through squinting eyes.

"I think that girl I hooked up with stole my watch" He said bitterly, running a hand over his face with another groan. "I hate when that happens"

"Stop sleeping with random girls" Kate pointed out.

Tony gave her a grin. "Now, what's the fun in that?"

Kate rolled her eyes as Tony closed his, moving and resting his head on his best friend's shoulder. Kate looked down briefly, suddenly pushing Tony's head away with a disgusted scoff and stood, picking up a pillow and hitting him with it.

"You're disgusting" She said as she turned to make her way out of the dorm room.

Tony looked down at his blanket-covered lap. "It's morning!" He called after her.

He barely heard her reply as she walked out the door. He gasped dramatically.

"That wasn't very nice, _Katie_" He yelled.

* * *

It was halfway through Kate's English Literature lecture when she felt her cell phone vibrate against her leg. She pulled the phone out, moving it so it could not be seen by anyone, including the professor, and read the screen:

'_Joel's okay. He had appendicitis. He's out of surgery and asking for his teddy ~ Annabelle'_

Kate felt the weight lift off her shoulder as she put her cell back into her pocket. She turned her attention back to writing notes, hoping to catch up on the part of the semester she had missed.

She suddenly stopped. Guilt pooled in her stomach quickly and made her feel sick. She took a deep breath and turned all her focus to the Professor.

* * *

"_Another_ tattoo?" Tony asked incredulously, picking up the sandwich in front of him.

Abby Sciuto grinned at him over the empty seat between them, her hand going up to gingerly touch the gauze tape that covered the brand new spider web tattoo that now adorned her neck. "Yep. The collection's up to six"

"You only have two" Tessa said with a frown across from her. Abby rolled her eyes, using every inch of her will power to not snap at the blonde.

"Well" Abby said with a shrug. "Only two people have seen most of the others"

Tim McGee stared at his girlfriend of six years with an expression that resembled that of a kicked puppy-dog. "_Two people?"_

"The spider that accompanies the new web is quite detailed" Ziva said casually from her seat between Ari and Damon, taking a bite out of her salad with a smirk.

Tony gave her his sleaziest grin. "_Really?" _He drawled out.

It was nearing one in the afternoon that day, which was the hour most of them all had off from classes and met at '_The Castle Cafe', _the only cafe on campus (Well. That people dared to eat at, anyway). The seven of them were daily customers and always took the largest table out the front, next to a large knight outfit that Tony had once stolen on a drunken dare. A large dent was now showcased in the left leg of the suit from its midnight adventures.

"Get your mind out of the street, Tony" Ziva said.

"It's _gutter"_ Tony said with an exaggerated sigh. "How long have you been in America?"

Ziva glared at him as Ari's phone went off in his pocket, letting out a loud beeping noise that Tessa began to complain about, saying '_The only ones who ever ring you are sitting here'_

Ari excused himself and walked away from the group as he looking at the screen on his phone. He found Kate's name and a picture from the lake they used to go to flash on the screen. (_He instantly scolded himself at how foolish it was he still had it on there)_ But, before he could slide the answer button on the screen he heard;

"Oh"

He looked sideways and found Kate standing there with an embarrassed smile on her face.

"I heard the ringing as I was walking. Your ringtone hasn't changed since high school" She said when he turned his body to face her. "I was calling to tell you that Joel's out of surgery. His appendix ruptured, he's fine"

"I am glad he is alright" Ari said, crossing his arms over his chest so he could have something to do with them other then reach out to Kate.

Kate just smiled at him. "Me too"

They stood together in the middle of one of the streets in the centre of the campus for a few moments in a comfortable silence, but neither of them knowing what to say or do after being ambushed by the memories of their time three years ago. Kate looked away just as Ari opened his mouth to speak.

"Everyone is having lunch together, you can join us if you wish"

Kate nodded and adjusted her bag, walking beside Ari in the direction of the cafe.

"Spring Break is in two weeks" Ari mentioned casually as the cafe came into site. "I want to warn you that Tony has already decided that we are all going to Miami"

Kate stared straight ahead, really not wanting to look at Ari, who she was sure was watching her for any sort of reaction. The only one she was going to give him was one of complete nonchalance, even though she knew that the man who she had spent 7 months living with would see straight through her.

Which he instantly did, _damn him,_ judging by the way he stopped and turned to her.

"I still have not given Tony an answer if I am going" He said, putting his hands in his pockets.

Kate looked away in thought for a moment. "I want to visit my sister. I haven't gone to see her since we left...But I can't trust Tony around her alone. Not after what he did at Drake's wedding" She mentioned as an afterthought, shuddering at the memory of Tony getting drunk and hitting on April, only to end up throwing up all over her bridesmaid dress. "I think I'd like to go back"

* * *

"So" Abby said, popping another French fry from the plate she and McGee were sharing into her mouth. "What's up with those two?"

Back at the table, Tony and the others watched Ari and Kate walk into vision from behind the science building, Ari stopping Kate to talk to her about something. Tony glanced at Ziva, who had been looking in his direction a moment before and looked back to her salad with her jaw clenched for reasons unknown to him.

"They dated in High School" Tony said.

"Yes" Ziva said flatly. "They also disappeared for 7 months together"

"Oh, wow" McGee said with raised eyebrows.

Abby's phone suddenly burst into screaming undistinguishable lyrics, making Damon jump in surprise from two seats away. Abby glanced at McGee before grabbing the phone and bouncing out of her seat, passing Ari and Kate as she moved away from the group to answer it.

Kate walked around to sit between Tony and Abby's empty seat, picking up the uneaten half of Tony's sandwich and taking a bite.

"Hey!" Tony said through a mouthful of food.

Kate elbowed him in the arm. "You're disgusting."

"That's the second time you've called me that today" Tony said, finishing off the half as Abby came back and sat beside Kate, giving McGee a grin before turning her attention to the two next to her. Tony continued "I'm offended"

"Are you two dating?" Tessa asked across from them.

Kate almost chocked on the bite of sandwich she now regretted eating (earning herself a remark about it from Tony).

"No, they are not" Ari said, watching in amusement as Tony gave Kate his bottle of water. "Although, I have heard a story or two"

Ari was sure if he had not been so used to the glare he received from Kate, it may have brought him down.

"Ooh" Abby grinned. "What kind of stories"

"The kind that don't need to be shared" Kate snapped at Ari, who bit back a smirk as their eyes locked. Abby looked over to Tony and raised her eyebrow. In the few years she had known Ari he had never acted like the way he was acting now (and judging from the look on Tessa's face, she had never seen Ari act like that either), but she was only given a shrug from the Italian in response.

Ziva stood, picking up the wrappings of her lunch and announced she had to go to class, Damon nodding in agreement as he looked at his watch and went along with her.

"What class do you have now, Katie?" Tony asked.

"None" Kate said with a smile. "My criminal law class doesn't start back until after Spring Break"

Tony's face lit up at the mention of his _favourite _week of the school year. "I booked us all four motel rooms in Miami. Right by the beach." He grinned. "A whole break of looking at girls in bikinis"

Kate scowled at him. "You're disgusting, DiNozzo"

Tony held up three fingers. "Three times"

"Stop being a pig then" Kate snapped. "And I won't have to keep telling you"

"I should probably go to class too" Tony said, snatching the remaining parts of the sandwich out of Kate's hand as he stood. "Thanks!"

Everyone bar Abby and Kate all left in the few minutes after Tony, leaving the Goth girl to ask the questions that she had been dying to ask since Kate had sat down.

"Every Wednesday Ziva comes to my place for an overnight study session, do you want to come?" Abby asked with a smile. "I mean, we don't really get a lot of studying done, we mostly talk about the guys. We can swap stories on Tony, for future blackmail purposes"

Kate smiled back at the enthusiasm emitting from the girl in front of her. "Sure. I'd love to come"


End file.
